Eight years ago, the Oak Harbor girls soccer team wasn't even recognized as a varsity sport. Today, however, the Rockets are a force to be reckoned with in northwest Ohio.

Despite losing seven starters from last season's team, Oak Harbor, which finished 12-2-2 overall and 10-0-0 in the league, won the Sandusky Bay Conference for the third year in a row.

The team had five members named to the Alan Miller Jewelers All-Press soccer team and the All-SBC first team and two named to the second-team. Attaining first-team status were Morgan Turnow and Kelly Bryant (attackers), Dayna Setzler (midfielder), Amanda Hetrick (defender) and Chelsea Kamann (goalkeeper). Bryant was one of only two players to receive a unanimous selection. Earning second-team status for the Rockets were Kelsey Lacer and Taylor Glass.

The SBC has only had a girls’ soccer league for three years. In that time, the Rockets have, quite simply, dominated. They did not allow one goal in conference play this season and have allowed only six goals during conference play in the league's three seasons.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, their season ended with a 3-2 loss in the sectional semifinals to Northwood.

Despite cruising through the latter part of the regular season, Oak Harbor started the season 1-1-2. Part of this was attributed to the loss of Setzler, who was injured and missed the team's first four games.

"She was very important; she's an excellent player," said head coach Renee Goldstein. "She's very strong in the middle and she's a strong leader on the field. She can play just about any position for us and has great endurance."

Setzler scored ten goals and had five assists this season and had 28 goals and ten assists in her career. In addition to attaining first-team SBC status, Setzler was also named to the Division II District first-team.

Offensively, the Rockets were very versatile, as seven players scored five or more goals for the season.

Bryant, the front forward, scored 12 goals this season to lead the team. For her career, Bryant, a second-team All-District selection, scored 47 goals, including five hat tricks. On the right side, Kayla Diefenthaler and Makayla Carpenter helped to set the tone by moving the ball down the field to set the team up for scoring opportunities. Turnow, who moved over from defense to play left wing, scored seven goals and helped to compliment the offense by using her leg strength to reach the net on shots from further out.

On the defensive side, Kelsey Lacer would assist Kamann in helping to direct the defense, as well as protect the net. Amber Burnett and Sydney Allen also helped by using their speed to keep the ball out of the middle of the field. They received much help from Hetrick, who, although just a freshman, served as the team's stopper, helping to stifle the opposition's scoring opportunities.

Although their work is not very glamourous, the defenders serve an important purpose, sometimes more important than does the offense.

"Defense is an extremely important part of our team," said Goldstein. "Our girls have to be comfortable with one another back there and know where the others are going to be so the keeper doesn't have to do as much work."

Despite having a stout defense, the Rockets benefited greatly from having Kamann to protect the net.

"Chelsie was our primary keeper. (She) plays well every game and the tougher the game, the tougher Chelsie is. She is great at reading players and knowing how to handle herself in stressful games."

Things were not always so great for the program. Until 2003, the girls soccer team did not even have varsity status in the athletic department.

Fortunately for Goldstein and the players, the community and the school was open to the idea of girls soccer becoming a varsity sport.

"It really wasn't (hard)," said Goldstein. "We went to the (school) board and they said we had to play as a club team for a year or two. (So) I called other teams and tried to set up games. We only had to go (for) one year, and then we went to the Board of Education and showed that we had the numbers (for a team)."

The program has certainly grown in size and stature over those eight years. This season, the program had 37 athletes, 20 of them on the varsity squad and 17 on the JV team.

For the program's eight years, Goldstein and assistant coach Laurie Andryc have been the only constants. In fact, Goldstein didn't originally plan on being the head coach of the team, let alone for this long.

"My daughter wanted to play," Goldstein said. "I said, 'I don't know anything about soccer, but I'll help.' I agreed that I would stick around at least until my daughter graduated high school (in '06)."

She's certainly glad she decided to stay.

"I enjoy this. I really, really do."

Goldstein, who works two jobs, teaches a Marine Skills Training course for Penta County Vocational School.

Oak Harbor, which had to replace seven starters from last season, has yet to lose a game in the SBC in three years. They've gone 10-0-0 in each of their three years in the conference.

As we look ahead to next season, expect things to continue going well for the program.

"We have so much strength," said Goldstein. "We were predominately sophomores this year, which was a surprise.

"If the talent we have stays with the program, we will once again be very strong. Our talent will only be enhanced by the increased comfort level with the newer girls on the team."

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